KUALA LUMPUR – The longest-serving TV game show host in history signed off on June 7 after presiding over the US primetime hit Wheel of Fortune for 41 seasons.
Pat Sajak has been a fixture in American homes since 1981, hosting more than 8,000 editions of the show, which has become a staple of early evenings for millions of households, AFP reported.
“Well, the time has come to say goodbye.
“It’s been an incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes night after night, year after year, decade after decade,” he told viewers in a clip from the pre-recorded final show.
He described the half-hour show as “a safe place for family fun. No social issues, no politics, nothing embarrassing, I hope – just a game.”
“Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”
Sajak, 77, was renowned for his low-key, unflappable style in asking contestants to choose a consonant or buy a vowel in the word-guessing game.
With his suit and even tan, he chatted with guests and bantered with co-host Vanna White, who joined the show in 1982, just a year after Sajak.
In 2019, Guinness World Records awarded Sajak the title of the longest career as a game show host for the same show.
American Idol host Ryan Seacrest will take over the role, joining the veteran White. – June 8, 2024